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i'm thinking of just carrying the passports and documents in the small cafe bag (further justifying my purchase :-).

it's bigger than the passport pouch and convertible packing cube, but i could also throw whatever else i'll need in-flight in there (a book to read, some snacks, a travel chess set, a pen, and a notebook). then, i can put my aeronaut in the overhead compartment when i get onboard and not have to pull it down till we land.

it's settled - i'm placing my order!

now the tough part - what color? ugh!

i love the plum / wasabi combination i have for my large cafe, but i want something different for the small cafe.

i'd love to have the olive / cayenne, but that won't ship till mid-march.

Yes, like Darcy stated, the passport pouches held several passports and they wouldn't hold the ancillary travel materials. But, and this is indicative of my present lifestyle, having the passports zipped into their own pouch was useful when the cafe bag was converted into travel diaper bag.

My wife and I have two passport pouches (hers clipped to a Ruck's Sac).

I don't know if the newest version of the cafe bags have the d-rings inside the zippered pocket, but I didn't have any problem clipping the passport pouch to the d-ring inside the main compartment with a long keystrap (ask Darcy or Josh). (The included neck/waist strap would work, too. It was just a little too long for the purpose I sought. I still used it when only the pouch was needed.)

Perfect for the many times (approximately 217, if I remember correctly) the passport had to come out of the bag at the airport.

Darcy, it depends on how many pages your passport has (you can ask for or get additionals), and if you have a lot of visas on your pages. Some visas (Cambodia comes to mind) fill an entire page and essentially add one more whole page of paper thickness to your passport. Add up a passport full of additional visa pages and you'll get the idea.

With heavily-used passports, two would be the max!

Also, re another comment about carrying passports in a cafe bag or other bag not on your person under your clothes don't do it. Thieves look for families in airports/cities because they are so busy with/concerned for the children. If that one bag gets snatched your trip will include spending a lot of time at your local embassy getting things straightened out.

Put those passports under your clothes when you're not actively hauling them out at the airport/security/hotel check-in. Thieves want a fast buck, not to strip you in the street to get your goodies. If, however, they get an inkling you have money, passports, hotel keys/keycards and other goodies in one shoulder bag, that's the target.

I also recommend each adult share copies (color ones are cheap at Kinko's) of the first pages of the passports they're carrying with the other adult. Even if one adult is robbed, the other has copies. It's much easier to get replacements if you have copies of what's missing!

Not that I hope this happens, but forewarned and forearmed means a much happier trip for all.

thanks guys! i do always carry copies of all my documents, including my passport, and i pack them in a separate location.

we can spread the passports between ourselves on our persons, and carry copies in both the aeronaut and another bag.

on the last trip, i guess i naively tucked my passport wallet into the side pocket of my aeronaut, placed it overhead, and relaxed for the rest of the trip. that may not have been the best idea in hindsight :-).

i did put it in my jacket pocket after going through immigration in india. i was picked up by a trusted driver at my destination, so i didn't feel too concerned about my belongings after that.

but i understand what you mean about being cautious when traveling with children.